A Delayed Realization
by ILoveTheBooks
Summary: After Scarlet and Wolf's wedding, the girls of TLC have a little discussion about what happens after the wedding is over. Plus two additional chapters following said discussion. Disclaimer: I own nothing!
1. Chapter 1

A Delayed Realization

Due to the fact that Scarlet and Wolf were married early, it gave the gang a couple extra days to just relax and catch up. Currently, the girls are all sitting around the living room, drinks in hand, leftovers on the small coffee table, while the boys are out seeing who can throw a pitch fork the farthest and have it stand up straight – Thorne's idea. Cinder rolls her eyes just thinking about how competitive men are, no matter who they are.

Her and Kai haven't told anyone else about their engagement, she doesn't want to take away any spotlight from Scarlet's happiness, but it doesn't stop her from fiddling with her ring – worn on her right hand just to be safe. She never thought she'd be so taken with a piece of jewelry but the fact that it was Kai's mother's ring and that he wants to marry her is making her stomach flip in a not unpleasant way.

She's really not paying attention to the conversation being had until Iko lets out an earsplitting screech. All heads turn towards the beautiful android.

"I completely forgot to ask before with all the secret planning going on but where are you and Wolf going for your honeymoon?!"

Cinder starts to roll her eyes again but freezes before she can finish the movement. _A honeymoon,_ she thinks to herself. She never even considered they'd go on a honeymoon, but of course it makes sense that they would.

Scarlet's cheeks don't change color as she responds. "We're not going anywhere right away. We're going to wait for winter when there isn't so much to do around here, but as long as we get to go somewhere it's going be warm and totally secluded." She smiles softly at the thought of so much privacy.

"Thorne and I had to make a stop in the Caribbean once, there were some pretty secluded spots there you could look in to," Cress pips up from a rocking chair that looks older than the farm house itself. Her cheeks _are_ a little pink.

"Yeah, I've done some research, but I'll look more into it later, I just want to enjoy being with all of you for a few days and finally being married." Scarlet throws a tiny cucumber sandwich in her mouth.

"But don't you want to be alone together to have hot newlywed sex?" Iko blurts out, still forever having trouble discerning what's appropriate to say in certain situations.

A blush works its way onto Scarlet and Winter's faces, Cinder can feel her body heat up as well, because, of course, that's what happens on honeymoons – what her and Kai would undoubtedly be doing on their own honeymoon. Once again she's grateful she can't blush.

"Iko, that's not appropriate talk for ladies to discuss," Winter, always one for decorum, answers back.

"No, it's alright Winter, I don't mind answering. Iko," she starts, like a teacher to a student, "we've lived together, alone, for two years, so while a honeymoon in the middle of nowhere will be absolute heaven, it's not like we haven't already slept together, like a lot." She stuffs another sandwich in her mouth.

Iko's mouth drops open. "Wait, you've already slept together?! Why didn't I know this, we're all supposed to tell each other these things." She turns to Cress, "You and the Captain haven't crossed that line yet, right?"

Cress stops rocking, her entire face aflame. "Um, actually Iko, we have, but we've lived together for two years too, if that means anything." She looks at the wall like it's the most interesting thing on the planet.

Iko gasps and spins to Winter to ask her the same question.

Winter, seeming to have forgotten her earlier statement says, "Oh, of course we have. Jacin is a very thorough lover," her voice airy and eyes glazed.

Cinder's internal computer warns her of her temperature at the same time Iko spins on her.

"Cinder, you had better tell me that you have not slept with His Highness or I think I might internally combust." Iko glares at her the best she can, which normally makes Cinder want to laugh but not today.

Cinder, honestly has barely ever thought about sleeping with Kai. They've only seen each other in person a handful of times in the two years since the revolution and each time they did they had to catch each other up on their lives. Of course kisses were enjoyed; long, passionate, somewhat life altering kisses, but it never went any farther than that. Her mind races with the thought now.

"Cinder, answer me right now!" Iko whines, waving her hand in front of Cinder's face.

"Iko, stop it. If she doesn't want us to know that's her own choice," Scarlet warns, coming to Cinder's defense.

Cinder focuses on her oldest friends face. "No, we haven't slept together," is all she says.

"Thank the stars, if you had kept that from me I would be outraged! But I still can't believe everyone else kept it a secret, we're best friends, we're supposed to tell each other everything." Her tone is anything but offended however; Cinder knows how much this new information has sparked something in the android.

"It's not really something that comes up in a normal conversation and we don't get to see each other in person enough. That's not something you can send over a comm." Cress turns to Cinder, "and I'm guessing that's why you and Kai have never…" her voice peters out.

"No, I bet it's because they knew that if they took that step once, it'd be too hard to go months without seeing each other again," Scarlet says with a wry smirk on her face.

"Kai is an honorable man, maybe he wants to wait to get married first," Winter adds.

"Cinder, what's the real reason?" Iko asks.

Cinder takes deep breaths so her system doesn't force a shut down from over-heating.

"I don't know," Cinder whispers, she rubs her hand along her forehead. "We've never talked about it, but it's probably all of those reasons combined." Her eyes close.

"But, you want to sleep with him, right?" Iko, again.

"I…" Cinder starts to just say she doesn't know, but she's with her friends and she knows she can say more than that and they'll understand. She thinks through her thoughts and emotions as quickly as she can.

"I'm cyborg so, I always kind of thought that wouldn't be in my future, that I would never find someone that loved me for who I am. Kai is, was, such an unexpected gift the world just kind of dropped in my hands. Obviously we didn't have the best start to our relationship, what with me hiding the fact that I'm cyborg and Lunar, but he accepted everything I am in the end and I'll never be able to express how grateful I am for that.

"Sleeping with him isn't really something I've given much thought about because just seeing him in real life and not over a screen has always been enough. I guess now that I'll be moving back to Earth I'll have more time to think about it, but to answer your question, Iko, yes I would like to take that step with him." She's looking down at the ring on her finger without even realizing it, but everyone else does and they give wide eyed looks to each other.

"We didn't know you were moving back to Earth, have you and Kai settled on an ambassador position for you?" Cress tries, bless her heart, to keep Iko from screaming again but it doesn't work.

"Linh Cinder, what is that on your finger?!" Iko actually gets up from the couch and grabs Cinder's hand. Just like Cinder's did last night, Iko's computing system recognizes the ring and its importance right away. "Oh my stars, are you and Kai engaged?!"

Instead of hearing rage over not being told immediately, all Cinder hears is a child like glee emanating from her friend.

Cinder looks at Scarlet. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to announce anything and ruin this time for you. I didn't even realize I was looking at it, but Kai asked me last night and I said yes." She turns to look at Iko who has an enormous smile on her face.

The android and everyone else in the room let out congratulatory sounds and before she knows it Iko's arms are around her.

"I can't believe this! My little cyborg mechanic is going to be the Empress! I have so much to do, so much to plan. I need at least six months to make sure this will be the wedding of the century, I do get to plan it right?"

"Sure, Iko, but I get final say on everything and we're not allowed to talk about it until after we announce it to the public, deal?"

"Deal! When will you announce it? You should do right away and why are you wearing the ring on your right hand? Does it not fit on the other?"

"Iko, of course it fits on my left hand, I just wasn't planning on telling you guys just yet, so I wore it on my right hand to try and hide it," Cinder moves the ring back over to her metal finger, it slides on like it was made for her.

"You didn't need to hide your engagement just because I got married yesterday, you know. It doesn't take away anything from my day, it only adds to the joy I already feel," Scarlet comes up to hug Cinder too. "I'm not sure you and Kai will be able to get away with a secret ceremony though."

Cinder smiles, "I know, I've already thought of that but it won't matter. Kai's the only thing that matters and as long as he's by my side everything else, the reporters and broadcasts and protesters, will be worth it."

"That's beautiful, Cinder. True love really does conquer all," Winter sighs before placing a kiss on Cinder's cheek.

"Can I choose the reception music?" Cress pipes in, looking at Iko quickly before catching Cinder's eye.

"After how much I danced last night, I can't help but say yes, but let's keep in mind, everyone, that there will probably be a bunch of traditions we'll have to follow, so I'm not sure exactly how many promises I should actually be making."

"Promises about what?" Thorne asks while all the guys come into the room.

"Cinder and Kai's wedding!" Iko screams before throwing herself at the young Emperor.

Kai shoots Cinder a look while hugging Iko back.

"It was an accident, we were talking about, um, other things, and I kept looking at the ring and they guessed. I couldn't lie about it." She gets up to go to him but Thorne stops her.

"You're getting married and I wasn't the first person you told? How could you, I thought we were best friends?!" His fake hurt makes her smile.

"Sorry Captain, but if I was going to tell anyone first it would have been Iko, she has been my friend the longest after all." She reaches Kai and he puts an arm around her waist. "I really am sorry, we should have told them together."

He presses a kiss to her temple. "As long as we spend the rest of our lives together I think I might forgive you for anything, but let's tell the world together, okay?"

She smiles at him. "Okay, but we're going to have to announce it soon because Thorne and Iko can only keep secrets for so long."

"Well then, come home with me for a few days after this and we can announce it then," he brushes some hair out of her face.

"Sounds like a plan," Cinder states before moving closer to kiss his lips, but before she can Iko starts talking again.

"That way you'll have plenty of time to discuss your hon…" Scarlet quickly covers Iko's mouth with her hand, cutting off the android effectively.

"Discuss our what?" Kai asks curiously.

"Nothing, Iko is just excited," Cinder shoots Iko a don't-speak-another-word-or-else glare.

"I know, let's go milk the cow!" Winter exclaims out of nowhere. "Scarlet, you said I could try it, why not now? Let's go," she grabs Jacin's hand and pulls him towards the back door.

Scarlet weighs staying in verses going out to the barn and decides regrouping somewhere else might be for the best. "All right everyone, let's go milk the cow," she drags Iko out with her, Wolf right on their heels.

Thorne turns to Cinder. "I don't know what that was about, but I will find out," he starts to walk away, Cress following slowly.

"I'll try to keep him otherwise occupied," she promises.

Kai looks at Cinder. "Seriously, what is all that about?"

"We can talk about it later, it's really not important," she kisses him ardently before pulling away and walking towards the door. "Now, let's go milk a cow, I have a feeling you're going to be bad at it."

Kai, somewhat flustered from their kiss, grins and follows her. "I bet I'll be a natural."

Cinder knows she's not lucky enough for Kai to fully forget his curiosity, but she'll take the reprieve while she's got it.

* First time writing the Lunar Chronicles so hopefully it's not terrible. I just finished the series along with 'Stars Above' – minus 'Wires and Nerves' – and because I could always use a little more Kaider I decided to write this. They'll be one more part after this one, hopefully up in a couple days. Happy reading!


	2. Chapter 2

A Delayed Conversation

It's been two weeks since Cinder and Kai announced their engagement to Earth and Luna and while the good news was met with some dissent they've received thousands of well wishes and congratulations.

As expected the media went (and is still going) nuts. Articles and broadcasts go out every day: will Cinder wear gloves, is this just a political stunt, will Cinder be like Levana and try to take over the world? It went on and on but Cinder ignored all of it

It was a little better on Luna, her and Kai have just gotten back to the EC from a five day trip to the moon. Cinder had needed to pack up her things and, even though she knew it would be fine, make sure the new government would be okay without her. Her people were ecstatic and hopeful that a marriage between Earth and Luna would only be more beneficial for them.

Cinder smiles to herself thinking about a card a young girl had made for her and Kai while unpacking her new room in New Beijing palace. This room isn't as grand as her room in Artemisia but it's cozier and reminds her of home and she likes in immediately.

It's almost midnight and she's just finishing putting the last of her clothes away when a knock sounds at her door, before she can open it Kai saunters in.

He looks around quickly with a confused look on his face. "Where are all the boxes?"

She smirks at him. "I unpacked them, that's what you do when you move somewhere new."

He frowns and continues to look around.

"What's wrong, am I supposed to be in a different room or something?"

"Well, no, not technically, but I didn't think you would unpack everything so quickly. I was going to ask…" Kai's ears redden a little bit which intrigues Cinder.

Cinder walks over to him. "Kai, what?"

He looks down at her, face a bit pink now. "I was, well it'd have to be kept kind of quiet, but I thought maybe you'd want to stay with me?"

"Stay with you? We're engaged; of course I'm going to stay with you. What's wrong?" She's noticed his face losing color now.

"In my room," he blurts out. His eyes widen before he looks sheepish, "I meant stay in my room," he adds quietly.

"Oh," Cinder says, feeling like an idiot. She looks closely at Kai's face, his coppery, somewhat dejected eyes, his messy hair and she smiles. "I'd like that," she takes one of his hands, "but there's no way we could keep that a secret. And would it really be a big deal if we did share a room?"

Light comes back into his eyes and he looks at her again.

"It shouldn't be a big deal but it's kind of an old school tradition that the Emperor doesn't 'live' with his fiancé until they're married, but I'm willing to risk the peoples' wrath if you are," he smirks at her. "Besides, this room connects to mine and Torin and I are the only ones that know that, so we _can_ keep it mostly a secret."

"What? Kai, that's so dangerous!" She smacks his arm. "Just because you think you and Torin are the only ones that know about that it doesn't mean it's true. You could be murdered in your sleep. It's not funny!" She glares at her laughing fiancé.

"Trust me, no one else knows, and who would want to kill me? I'm beloved." He turns to walk to her closet. He picks up a leftover box and starts to put some of her clothes in it.

"What are you doing? I just put those away," she reaches him as he picks up a pair of dirty cargo pants. He smiles and throws them in the box.

"If you're sleeping in my room you might want a few things to change in to in the mornings." He goes to open a dresser drawer, but Cinder stops him before all of her underwear is on display.

"I don't really think I can get away with wearing cargo pants around the palace, so how about I finish packing my clothes and you go in the bathroom and grab my toothbrush and comb."

"Oh, I insist that you wear them at all times and deal," he says while walking out of the closet.

Cinder grins and packs up what she thinks she might need (leaving the pants) before meeting Kai back in her room.

"Ready to go?" Cinder nods and he walks over to a small bookshelf in one of the room's corners, he moves a couple books around before opening one and pushing a tiny hidden button.

"It's not as discreet as the one at Scarlet's but it does the trick." Cinder rolls her eyes, but doesn't resist when he takes her hand and drags her through a hidden door in the wall that had popped open a couple inches.

The tunnel is small, only wide enough to walk single file and Kai has to bend slightly to not hit his head on the ceiling, but it's as nice as the escape tunnels located elsewhere in the palace.

They walk for a couple minutes before a forked path appears, Kai continues forward and reaches his hand into a narrow alcove. To their right another hidden door cracks open. Cinder's mouth hangs open in surprise.

Kai chuckles before pulling her through the new opening. This tunnel is larger and it only takes a few moments before Kai is pushing open a final door and stepping into his own closet, which, Cinder notices right away, is much more organized and fuller than her own.

"Aren't women supposed to have more clothes than men? You have more clothes than even Iko." She puts down the box with her, maybe, three full outfits in it.

"Well, being born the only heir to an entire country apparently means I can't wear the same thing twice. Just wait, in a couple years you'll definitely have more clothes than me. The seamstress that makes my suits has been telling me I need an empress for the last five years so she can dress her."

"Wow, so much to look forward too," Cinder deadpans while walking into Kai's room. He quickly puts her comb and toothbrush in his bathroom before returning to Cinder, he wraps one arm around her waist and lays his other hand on her cheek.

"Too late to back out now, you're stuck being called Your Majesty for the rest of your life," he starts to lean towards her but Cinder places her hand over his mouth.

"Actually, it'll be You Imperial Majesty and I _could_ leave anytime I want," she touches his nose with her own, "but I won't." She presses her lips against his and runs her fingers through his hair. Kai tightens his hold on her but pulls away quicker than she would have liked.

His breathing is still a little labored though when he starts talking. "I'm gonna go change, feel free to use anything in the bathroom, then we can switch and go to bed."

"Okay," Cinder agrees before they go their own ways.

In the bathroom Cinder brushes her teeth and washes her face. She's actually nervous to go back out there. They've been sleeping in the same bed since arriving at Wolf and Scarlet's, but it feels different tonight. They're engaged and living together and the conversation the girls had in Scarlet's living room comes back to her full force which makes her internal temperature rise. There's literally nothing stopping them anymore and it's a little daunting.

 _Stop it, Cinder_. Shechastises herself. _Kai would never pressure you into anything and maybe he's just as freaked out as you are. You love him and sex is a totally natural part of any romantic relationship, get out there._ She tries to rally herself but her heart still pounds as she walks back into the room.

Kai meets her on her way to the closet and presses a kiss to her temple before he disappears into the bathroom.

Changing only takes a minute and for the first time since she was given them, she's thankful for the matching silk shorts and button up pajamas Iko got her for her birthday. Before the Lunar Revolution she would have never owned a pair of shorts, not even to sleep in, but Iko thought she should start small and work her way up to shorts during the day, she had stopped wearing gloves after all.

She admitted to herself a while ago that the shorts are nice to sleep in and she's not even worried about Kai seeing her metal leg because he's seen it already – after the Peace Ball they'd gotten a little tipsy on champagne and when he'd asked to see it, she'd hoisted her dress up way past decency and showed him. He'd marveled at it like he had with her hand and she fell even more in love with him.

With that memory in mind she walks back into the room and not knowing what else to do sits on the end Kai's bed and fiddles with her engagement ring – something she's found herself doing a lot lately – while waiting for him to return.

When he finally does, he takes a seat next to Cinder. She looks at him and he looks at her and they both smile small smiles.

"I'm kind of nervous," he admits with another blush.

"Me too."

"Should we just go to sleep? What side do you want?" Kai stands, still looking at Cinder.

She looks at the bed behind her and then slightly points to her right. "Um, the right, that way maybe I won't accidentally kick you in the middle of the night with my cold leg."

He snorts, "Okay, get under the covers."

She complies and notices with glee that the sheets smell like him.

Kai slips under the covers beside her and calls for 'lights out.' The couple stares at each other.

Kai's eyes soften. "You know, if this is what every night will look like from now on I'll be a happy man."

Cinder wants to roll her eyes again but restrains herself and instead puts her fingers on his. "I need to talk to you about something and it's kind of embarrassing."

He cocks an eyebrow.

Cinder takes a deep breath. "Remember after the wedding when all of the girls were together and you and the guys were outside? And when you all came in we evaded about what we'd been discussing?"

"Yes, but I thought you were discussing our wedding, we talked about that later though. Was there something else?"

"Yeah, there was. Umm, well it all started when Iko asked Scarlet where her and Wolf were going on their honeymoon and from there it turned into, well, basically a tell-all sex edition show." She closes her eyes and scrunches her face up.

Kai doesn't say anything right away so she cracks open an eye and sees that he's confused.

"I suppose, I don't see what's so embarrassing about that."

Cinder groans and opens her eyes completely. "It's embarrassing because you and I are the only ones that haven't slept together, we've never even discussed it and now we're getting married and sex is kind of a big part of any marriage and this," she waggles her finger between the two of them, "this conversation is embarrassing."

Kai's lips quirk up in that charming half smile of his. "Why?"

"Why?! Because I've never, you know, oh stars," she turns and buries her face in her pillow.

Kai reaches over and turns on a lamp on the bedside table before touching Cinder lightly on the shoulder.

"Cinder, look at me," when she doesn't he goes a step farther. "You used to be a lot braver than this, has Thorne's joking finally caught up with you?"

She whips her head around to glare at him.

"That's my girl; now let's talk about this, okay?"

Cinder lets out a sigh, "fine."

"Okay, so I feel like I should tell you that I have slept with two people. I was sixteen and an ambassador from the American Republic brought his whole family here when he came for business with my father. His oldest daughter was eighteen and for some reason she had an immediate interest in me and I, being kind of naïve and a teenager ruled by hormones, let her use me for her own enjoyment. I'm not proud of that and I was so happy when they all left. The second time was almost a year later, it had been my mother's birthday and I, stupidly, got quite drunk on grief and Saki and when a girl invited me back to her place I went.

"After that I decided one night stands, drunken or not, weren't for me and that I'd try to find someone I actually liked before I had sex again. Then, everything with Levana got super serious and real and all I worried about was making sure I didn't actually marry her. And you know the rest of the story."

Cinder is more than a little surprised to hear about his romantic past but she doesn't hold it against him. She always kind of suspected he wasn't a virgin and now she knows for sure.

"Thank you for telling me," she says. "I know I should have been more open about this before now, but we barely got to see each other in person and there's no way I would talk about this over a call or comm." She scoots closer to him.

"I agree, over a comm this would be too impersonal, but I don't want to lie to you – I have thought about you and I like that." His ears turn pink again and she smiles.

"I have too, especially since Scarlet and Wolf's wedding. I just don't think I'm completely ready to take that step just yet," she admits.

"That's fine. Honestly, Cinder I mean it when I say I'll be happy for the rest of my life as long as you're by my side, in any way, romantic or not."

"Oh, I definitely want you in my life romantically, this giant ring on my finger should tell you that, and I'm not saying I don't want to take things to another level, just not the final one. Not yet."

Kai's eyes widen at her words and when her fingers touch the hem of his t-shirt and inadvertently graze his stomach his mouth pops open. She pulls the shirt up higher, gives him a daring look, and pulls the tee over his head.

"Cinder, we don't – " He's cut off (and doesn't fight it) when she kisses him soft as snow.

They melt into each other. Cinder's hands run along Kai's abdomen, ribs, and spine making his stomach clench and breath ragged. Cinder is still pressing only soft, gentle kisses to his lips and jaw and neck and he can't take it anymore.

Kai runs his fingers through her hair and kisses her hard. She bites his lip and opens her mouth to allow him access and he rolls over her to press her slightly into the mattress which makes Cinder sigh and scratch Kai's side a little too enthusiastically.

"Sorry, sorry," she pulls away slightly to look at the raised red lines but then she sees Kai's face and the rest of her words dry up in her mouth.

"Don't, I… you're perfect."

Cinder stills and looks at Kai. There's a reverence in his eyes that makes any nerves she had left evaporate. She slowly brings her hands up to the top button of her night shirt and undoes them one by one. Kai's eyes follow her fingers down, down, down. He swallows audibly.

She takes his own hand and places it on her waist, as soon as his palm touches her skin it's like a gate opens in Kai's self control and he kisses her even more fiercely. He pulls her top of completely; his fingers are rougher than Cinder thought they'd be and the sensation makes her arch her back. They both let out soft sounds of pleasure at the skin on skin contact.

Kai leisurely trails his lips down Cinder's neck and throat and décolletage and when she involuntarily scratches him again he presses their bodies even closer.

Kai continues his assault of kisses but pauses at her sternum, he looks up and sees her closed eyes, her pulse hammering in her neck and he smiles against her skin. Cinder feels it and her mouth turns upwards in reply.

"Don't stop what you're doing," Cinder whispers. Her human hand goes into his hair but Kai doesn't need the encouragement.

His tongue darts over her right breast and Cinder can't make any sound at all. Her insides become liquid and all she can do is grip his hair and take pleasure in Kai's careful ministrations.

"Stars…" Is all she can finally get out.

He growls low in his throat and the sound has Cinder's other hand – her cyborg hand – fisting the sheets. They both hear an audible ripping noise and break apart to see what happened.

Kai starts laughing when he sees the tear in his sheets but Cinder looks mortified.

"Aces, Kai, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to ruin your sheets."

He's still chuckling when he softly kisses the tip of her nose. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Cinder, but maybe don't say 'aces' when we're half naked together. It reminds me too much of Thorne."

Now she laughs, "I make no promises." She reaches for him again but he stills her, reaching over for both their shirts he places the clothing between them.

"You said you weren't ready and I respect that so let's not push it tonight." Kai picks up his tee to put it back on but Cinder grabs it from his hand and throws it to the side before doing the same with her own shirt.

"Let's sleep like this, I like having your skin against mine," she says rather boldly.

Kai groans. "I think you might be the death of me," he says before draping the covers over them and pulling her close.

Cinder kisses him quickly. "But you love me anyway right?" She says with a small smile.

"More than you'll ever know. Now let's go to sleep." And they do.

*I'm so sorry this took so long, I like to write when I'm alone and I'm barely ever alone these days . But I hope you enjoy this chapter even though the wait was long. I have one more idea for a third chapter but I won't make any promises about when it will be done – just know I'm working on it. Happy reading!


	3. Chapter 3

*Just some Kaider shorts I wanted to put down because I love them and wish there was just an entire book of their whole lives.

Part of Their Happily Ever After

Cinder and Iko emerge from a side room and meet Kai in the hallway. Cinder has changed into a white pantsuit; she refused to wear another dress – especially while on a ship – but compromised with Iko by not wearing a shirt or bra under the suit jacket. Apparently, in Iko's words, now that she's married she needs to 'keep the sex appeal alive' and Cinder learned long ago to only limit her best friend so much – saying no to all of her ideas never ended well and if Cinder was being honest she actually liked how she looked in her suit and how easy it'd be to take off, not that she'd tell Iko that.

Kai's definitely a fan of Cinder's outfit, his eyes widen when he first sees her and he quickly walks to meet her and to place a lingering kiss on her mouth.

"I told you he'd love it, now let's get you on that ship and off to enjoy your honeymoon!" Iko practically skips toward the doors. It's just after three in the morning – their reception had lasted for hours – but there is still a crowd of guests waiting to see the Emperor and new Empress off.

Cinder grabs Kai's hand and they walk out on the landing strip and towards the ship that will take the two of them to a very private, very tropical oasis off the coast of South America. The crowd claps and shouts and throws glitter – also Iko's idea – while Cinder and Kai walk forward, waving at well known faces as they pass.

At the end of the throng their friends wait to see them off. Cress and Winter are crying again, Jacin looks bored, and Scarlet and Wolf are smiling at the new couple but sneaking glances at each other with gooey love filled eyes. Thorne's the only one that looks like he always does – like he has a juicy secret and will only tell you for a price.

Kai and Cinder are hugged and kissed and given 'best wishes' before they go to board the spaceship. Before Cinder has taken two steps up the ramp Thorne calls her name before walking up to her.

"I almost forgot to give you this," he rummages in his suit pocket before pulling out a book – an actual book, not a digital copy.

Kai looks over Cinder's shoulder to see what Thorne is handing over. The Captain has a very mischievous sparkle in his eye which makes both Kai and Cinder wary and turn to look at Cress.

She mouths 'I'm so sorry' while giving a nonchalant shrug, she's the most used to Thorne's antics and she knows she can't stop him every time.

Cinder takes the book somewhat cautiously before reading the title. "'The Kama Sutra,' what is this, Thorne?" She goes to open the book for a clue but Throne stops her hands.

"Trust me that you don't want to open that with cameras around. Also, while I haven't needed to use this magical book since my teenage years, you'll find that it's full of useful knowledge for couples." He winks at them and Cinder scowls a little bit.

Kai, ever the gentleman, thanks Thorne before continuing to board the ship.

Cinder holds the book to her chest and does the same. Thorne just steps off the ramp and smiles at his two friends' backs.

"Cinder's going to kill you when she sees you again, you know that right," Cress says to him when he's within earshot.

He wraps his arm around her shoulders. "No, no, I've done a lot of _research_ with that book and all final findings showed that women love that book without even knowing it exists. She and Kai will be thanking me."

Cress just shakes her head and watches the ramp close.

Cinder lets the door close firmly before she opens the book, the pages falling open somewhere in the middle. She takes one look at the page and her eyes blow wide. She turns a few more pages and then a few more before slamming the book closed.

"THORNE!" She yells into the ship. The group outside looks up and Thorne actually looks a little bit sheepish at hearing the tone of Cinder's voice.

"Time to go," Thorne says before grabbing Cress's hand and pulling her toward the palace and their guest room.

Kai, after hearing Cinder scream, runs back to her from the cockpit. "What's wrong?"

She all but throws the book at him. "Thorne thinks he's so funny, but just wait until we get back home!" She stomps into the ships small barracks – they didn't want to call too much attention with a fancy ship so maybe others wouldn't try to follow them – and falls down face first onto one of the beds.

Kai opens the book, curious at Cinder's reaction to it, and after seeing only one page his ears redden slightly. He follows Cinder into the bedroom and lies down beside her.

"I know you don't usually succumb to Thorne's jokes so easily so what's the real problem with this?" He puts the book between their heads.

"It's embarrassing. I know he's a flirt and he's always made jokes about us but actually giving me that book is just…it shows that… ugh, I'm the Empress now, can I have him arrested?"

Kai's mouth tilts up in a half smile, "For what exactly?"

"Insubordination or something, I don't know, I just never want to see him again," her voice is muffled by the pillow under her face.

Kai runs his hand down his wife's hair. "Cinder, I know you're upset and if at end or our two weeks off you still don't want to see Thorne I'll make sure he's not around, but can we not start our honeymoon off on a sour note. I'm not saying we need to use that book but I was kind of hoping to, and most people want this on their honeymoons, get to sleep with my wife."

Cinder is quiet for a long time and it makes Kai nervous – she usually has plenty to say – but eventually she turns her face to him and there's a small smile on her lips.

"I want that too, of course I do, I just don't want Thorne to ever think about that part of our life together."

"I hate to break it to you but I think he thinks about everyone's life that way at some point, he's Thorne and can that be the last time his name is mentioned on this trip?" Kai's hand that had been smoothing down her hair goes to rest low on her back and Cinder instinctually arches a little at the touch.

"Okay," a devious twinkle sparks in her eyes, "and I'm not saying we can't look at the book, I just don't want to mention it to anyone, ever, that we have it."

Kai doesn't say anything else just leans forward to capture Cinder's lips with his. She's ready for him and shifts so she's straddling his waist. She pulls away slightly.

"Ship, lock the door." And then she undoes the two buttons holding her jacket together, pulls it off, and goes back to kissing her husband.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

II.

"And the 'EC Tribune' wants to set up an interview with you to discuss the trade numbers so far this year with Luna. I was thinking Monday if that works for you?" Iko trails Cinder, port screen in hand looking through the Empress's busy schedule.

"Monday is fine, but remind me to look over the numbers before then." Cinder and Iko walk into the large formal dining room and see Tashmi Priya setting out different place settings for Cinder to look over. Priya is, by trade, a wedding planner but her and Kai get along so well that she agrees to help with most of the palace's events.

The older woman smiles when they get closer. "Your Majesty, Iko, it's lovely to see you both."

"You to and thank you for doing this, the European representatives will be so impressed I'm afraid they'll try to bribe you away from us." Cinder marvels at the beautiful and detailed table settings Priya has made up. For all of Cinder's talents, home décor is not one of them and she's dreading having to pick just one setting.

Priya chuckles, "I won't let that happen, Your Majesty. Which one do you like best? The first one that caught your eye?"

Cinder and Iko walk around the table, there are only five placements to look at but they take their time and take in all the details. Finally, Cinder stops at a gold and red setting, perfect for October and the history of the EC. She picks up the ornate crimson plate to show Iko and Priya when her diagnostics system sends her a message.

HIGH LEVELS OF HCG DETECTED. RESULT: PREGNANCY

The plate drops from Cinder's hand and shatters on the tile. Iko and Priya look up startled.

"Cinder, is everything okay?" Iko asks, staring at her frozen friend.

Cinder's mind whirls and she can't form a coherent thought, but then, "Kai," falls out of her lips.

"What's wrong with His Highness?!" The old name coming out shrilly off Iko's started tongue. She grabs Cinder's sleeve and it jolts the Empress out of her own head.

"Nothing is wrong with him; I just need to find him right away." Cinder starts to walk out of the room but turns around once more. "I'm so sorry to leave like this Priya, but I love the red and gold one. Iko, try to find Kai and send him to my office, cancel everything for the rest of the day for both of us."

Iko follows behind her baffled. "What about Torin? You know he'll need a reason to cancel everything. What's going on Cinder?"

"Just tell him it's an emergency." Cinder sends Kai a comm and runs to her office. She slams the door and sprints to the cabinet on the back wall. She pulls out a miniature android – one that not even she has been able to fix – and sets to work looking for the problem with it.

The task usually keeps her mind busy, but it doesn't work today.

It's not like her and Kai haven't been trying to have a baby, they have, she just never thought it would happen so soon or (foolishly) that her own computing system would just drop it on her in the middle of the day.

She gives up tinkering and just lays her head down on her desk. What is taking Kai so long?

As if on cue her husband sprints through the door, "Cinder, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" He reaches her and runs his hands over her face and arms looking for an injury.

Cinder grabs his hands with her own, stopping his movement somewhat. "Kai, I'm alright, I just have some really important news for you." She stands up to be closer to him and takes a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

His hands still and his eyes widen slightly. "Are you sure?" he whispers.

Cinder's internal system has never been wrong before so she nods, "yes."

Kai's hands tighten around hers and he smiles the grandest smile she's ever seen. As he sinks down to sit on her desk he exclaims, "I'm gonna be a dad," and the look of pure, unadulterated joy on his face has her eyes stinging with tears she can't shed.

He pulls her closer to him, arms around her back, and places a kiss to her stomach. He keeps his forehead against her ribs and Cinder runs a hand through his hair.

The couple stay that way for a long time before Cinder hears Kai sniffle – something he almost never does. She tries to pull away slightly but Kai doesn't let her.

"Are you crying?" She asks, incredulous.

"No," he replies, but his voice hitches and she knows he's lying.

She drops her hand to the side of his face and makes him look at her. "Let's go to our room. I had everything cancelled for the rest of the day; we can just be together, the two of us."

"The three of us," he corrects her, but he stands up and takes her cyborg hand in one of his.

"Kai, the baby is probably smaller than a piece of rice, so maybe the two and a quarter of us." She believes the words but she also thinks that she might need to work on her maternal instincts before the baby is born.

Kai just smiles again and leans down to her abdomen. "Don't believe your mom, sweetheart, she's just nervous, but I'll get her to come around. She's going to melt the first time we see you, trust me." His words trigger something and he quickly straightens.

"We should go see the doctor, she'll probably be able to do a sonogram," he pulls Cinder through her office door, almost jogging.

"Kai, stop for a second. I already sent my doctor a comm and we have an appointment with her first thing tomorrow morning. Right now, I just want to share this with _you._ Our country has waited a long time for this so I want just one day where only we know, okay?"

Kai stares into his wife's eyes. He sees fear and excitement and love and hope for the future looking back at him. He leans forward and kisses her. Cinder falls into the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck. It's soft and sweet and slow and leaves them both breathless when they break apart.

"I love you, more and more every day. Let's go to our room. You're right, I only want to be with you right now," he says.

Cinder smiles at him this time. "I love you too and you're going to be the best father in the whole universe."

Kai kisses her cheek as they start walking down the hall. "Even better than Wolf?" Their genetically engineered friend had taken to fatherhood like moth to a flame and his and Scarlet's twins adore him over everyone else.

"Even better than Wolf, I promise," she assures him and they make their way to their room to spend the day together. All three of them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

III.

Cinder has had a ridiculously long day. She thought being a new mother meant she'd have at least three months off of empress duties but that hasn't been the case. Peony is only seven weeks old and Cinder hates being away from her for more than a couple hours, but one of the Lunars on the council she'd put in effect was caught bribing citizens to vote for him again and they'd called Cinder into an all day video conference to help dilute the problem. Now all she wants to do is lay in bed with Kai and their daughter and eat a carton of ice cream, but its midnight and she knows Peony and Kai are probably asleep by now.

She goes to the nursery anyway, just to see the tiny sleeping face she adores. Kai had been right, the second Peony had been placed in her arms, screaming and slightly slimy, she melted. It was like her heart had grown ten times bigger and she'd basically cried with no tears because she was so, so happy. Both her and Kai had gotten a full week completely off after the baby was born to get used to being new parents and it had been the best week of Cinder's life.

Cinder is close to her daughter's room when she sees the door cracked. She walks closer curious but stops when she hears Kai singing softly, somewhat off-key. Her brain immediately let's her know that the lullaby is old, dating back to the Second Era and she wonders where he learned it. She peeks into the room and sees him gently rocking Peony in his arms. Cinder stands in the hall watching her husband get their daughter back to sleep and she can't help but think she might be the luckiest person on Earth.

Kai's song peters out but he keeps humming and rocking. He turns slightly and Cinder get's a good look at his profile, there's a tender expression there and she's hit with longing like a two-by-four. She hasn't really felt lust since before Peony was born and it makes her breath catch in surprise and anticipation.

Quietly, Cinder heads to her own room and into the closet. She rifles around in her dresser and pulls out an old pair of cargo pants and a black t-shirt. She changes quickly and writes a note for Kai, leaving it on the bed before heading down to her garage to wait.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kai places a now sleeping Peony in her crib. He leaves the nursery, closes the door, and heads back to his and Cinder's room. His wife isn't there and he wonders if she'll ever get off the video call from Luna. He saw her only once today and he unabashedly misses her.

He changes into his pajamas and goes to get in bed, that's when he notices the note. All it says is 'meet me in the garage' but the young emperor rushes from the room in excitement.

Cinder's garage is really just a large room Kai had converted into a work space for her first birthday in the palace. He'd known she missed tinkering and he had wanted her to have her own space in their tremendously busy world. He smiles now remembering how excited she'd been when he showed her the room for the first time and how she'd said 'thank you' to him later that night.

He finally makes it and walks through the door. The smell of grease and metal and circuitry assaults his senses but all he sees is his wife focusing on a project at one of her work tables.

Cinder looks up when she hears his footsteps. The smile she gives him almost stops him in his tracks.

"You got my note I see," she says and stands up.

Kai walks over to her and puts his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. "I did. I've missed you today, so has P." He kisses her nose.

"Mmm, I missed both of you too. What was that song you were singing to her?"

Kai's ears redden a little which makes Cinder grin. "I don't even know what it's called but my mom used to sing it to me when I was sick or scared and Peony really seems to like it."

"You've sung it to her before?" Cinder is surprised she hasn't caught him sooner.

"Anytime I go in her room at night to let you sleep I sing it. I must have a calming voice because she goes back to sleep every time."

Cinder lightly kisses Kai's lips. "I hate to break this to you but singing might be the only thing you're not great at, but that's not why I brought you down here." She pulls away so he can see her outfit. Being empress doesn't give her much free time but when she can she throws on her cargo pants and heads to her garage to tinker. She's often caught Kai spying on her when she's working. She likes the pants because they're comfortable and hold a lot but Kai likes them for a completely different reason.

"See anything you like?" Before the Lunar Revolution Cinder would have hated anyone staring at her for too long but in the seven years since then, she's gotten used to and even loves when Kai stares at her. It's like he's in awe of her very presence every time and it always makes her heart stutter.

It takes him a few seconds but he finally meets Cinder's eyes. "I think you know I do," he says with a bit of challenge.

Cinder backs up so she's leaning against her workbench; she crooks a finger and beckons him closer. He obliges.

Kai puts both hands on the bench beside her hips and leans in. Their kiss is soft and slow and sensuous but faster than either of them suspected, it becomes heated and hurried.

Kai presses himself even closer and reaches behind Cinder to clear away the tools and debris – really he just swipes it all to the side. Then, surprising Cinder, lifts her up so she's seated on the table, all without taking his lips off hers.

She wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and they kiss for what feels like hours.

Cinder's hands find themselves under Kai's t-shirt, tracing the ridges of his spine and Kai's hands trace along the top of her cargo pants, stopping at the button in the middle. He breaks away before undoing the button. "Are we allowed to do this?" He asks breathless. "Didn't the doctor tell us we had to wait a certain amount of time?"

She smirks. "That's not like you, forgetting what the doctor said." She pulls his shirt over his head. "And she said six weeks," she kisses his chest over his heart, "and it's been seven."

"Good," is all he says before popping open the button of her pants and bringing his lips back to hers.

*Okay, so this is it for this fanfic, hopefully you guys like it. I think Kai as a father would be so cute and swoon worthy so I tried to portray that here. Also, if they had a daughter I feel like her name would definitely be Peony. Cinder would be honoring her sister and getting satisfaction over the idea that Adri would hate it. Thanks for reading!

Little snippet where kai is singing a lullaby his mom sang to him to his newborn daughter and cinder over hears him and swoons a bit


End file.
